A vehicle, such as an automobile, may include one or more display units for displaying information and/or inputting information. One example is a display unit mounted to an instrument panel of the vehicle for displaying and/or receiving input for a navigation system, entertainment system such as radio, cell phone, etc., and/or a climate control system. The display unit may include an electronic visual display for displaying information and/or receiving input. The electronic visual display may include a touch panel, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) touch panel.
The instrument panel may include a frame and a covering. The display unit may be supported by the frame and may be embedded in the covering. In other words, a profile of the display unit may match a profile of the instrument panel.
Several factors provide constraints on the design of the display unit. For example, the shape of the instrument panel and other content supported on or in the instrument panel may place packaging constraints on the design of the display unit. The display unit may also include internal features that affect the size and shape of the display unit that may conflict with the packaging constraints of the instrument panel. For example, in the event that the display unit includes an LCD touch panel, the display unit may include heat sinks near the LCD touch panel to dissipate heat away from the LCD touch panel. In addition to these constraints, the display may be subject crash tests.
There remains an opportunity to design a display unit that satisfies these conflicting design requirements.